It’s amazing what a the human body can do.
From breathing to blood circulation, your body is constantly working hard to keep you alive and well. Your spine is no exception. It’s an intricate system of bones, ligaments, and muscles that help support your body weight and allow you to move around with ease.
But what happens when things go wrong? What happens when something in your spine causes pain in the lower back or buttocks area? It could be caused by a herniated disc (a rupture in the outer layer of the spinal column). Or it could be caused by pressure on a nerve root (the part of the spinal cord that leaves the spine). Either way—it hurts!
Luckily, there are options out there for sciatica pain relief. One option is chiropractic care. A chiropractor will examine your spine for any misalignments or stress points (called subluxations) that might be causing problems with how your body moves. The chiropractor will then perform a variety of treatments to help relieve the pressure on your nerves and improve how your spine moves. And if you are still on the fence as to whether or not chiropractic care In Salt Lake City, Utah will be effective in your sciatica pain relief, the following are some of the reasons why you should consider it.
What Is Sciatica?
Before we dive into the benefits of chiropractic care for your sciatica pain relief, let’s first talk about what it is.
Sciatica is a condition that affects the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve, which originates in the lower back, runs through the buttocks and down the back of each leg. It’s responsible for sending messages from your brain to your legs, so if you have sciatica, it means that something is interfering with the transmission of these messages.
Sciatica can be caused by a number of factors: a herniated disc, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal column), piriformis syndrome (muscle spasm in the buttock), or compression on the nerve root from nearby bone spurs or other tissue growths.
The symptoms associated with sciatica include:
- pain or numbness in one leg or foot,
- tingling or burning sensations in one leg or foot,
- weakness in one leg,
- loss of balance,
- and difficulty walking.
These symptoms usually affect one side of your body only—but they may spread to both sides if left untreated.
Beyond the symptoms, sciatica can also cause a number of other complications. These may include:
- pain in your buttocks,
- lower back,
- and abdomen,
- difficulty sleeping,
- depression,
- difficulty concentrating,
- headaches,
- fatigue,
- and lethargy.
All these symptoms can have a significant impact on your quality of life—and if left untreated, they may even lead to chronic pain.
Chiropractic Therapy — How to Fix Sciatica Using Chiropractic Therapies
Now, with the basics out of the way, let’s look at how to fix sciatica using chiropractic therapies. Chiropractors will typically use a combination of treatments to address sciatica—and may also refer you to an orthopedist or neurologist if necessary. Some of these treatments include:
1) Spinal Manipulation Techniques
Chiropractic therapy is one of the most effective ways to treat sciatica. Chiropractors use a variety of spinal manipulation techniques, which can be done in different ways. Below are the two most common techniques that chiropractors use to treat sciatica.
1.1) High-Velocity Low-Amplitude
The first technique is called high-velocity low-amplitude (HVLA) manipulation. This is considered to be one of the safest and most effective techniques for treating low back pain and sciatica. The goal of this technique is to reduce pressure on nerves in the spinal column by removing any misalignment or abnormal curvature in your spine so that it can function properly again without causing additional pain or discomfort.
This type of manipulation involves using quick rotations or thrusts with a sudden decrease in force at the impact on the vertebral joint while maintaining constant contact with your skin surface to avoid injury from over-stretching muscles or ligaments around joints as well as pinching nerves inside bony structures such as vertebrae discs between vertebrae bones located within your spinal cord’s protective bony protection system which houses nerve roots near their exit out of the spinal cord.
These rotations and thrusts help to realign vertebrae bones back into their proper alignment so that nerves can pass through freely without being pinched or irritated.
Manipulation may also be used in conjunction with other types of adjustments to restore normal motion and function to joints as well as relieve pressure on nerve roots that are impinged due to misalignment.
1.2) Gonstead technique
Another common technique is called the Gonstead technique, which involves gently moving the bones of your spine into alignment without causing discomfort or clicking sounds— which are common with other spinal manipulation techniques. This type of adjustment is often used to treat chronic back pain, and it’s similar to chiropractic adjustments in that it focuses on the relationship between your bones and nerves.
2) Spinal Decompression
Spinal decompression is a type of chiropractic therapy that can help relieve lower back pain, sciatica, and other types of nerve pain in the lower body. It works by realigning the spine and decompressing the spinal discs. This allows for an increase in blood flow to the discs and nerves, which can help reduce inflammation and pressure on them.
The process involves placing you on a table that has a special mattress attached to it. The mattress has different levels of resistance—the higher the level of resistance, the more pressure is exerted on your spine as you lie down on it. Once you are in position, the table will gently move up and down several times over a period of time (usually about 15 minutes). It will then stop moving so that you can rest for a few minutes before repeating this process again.
Chiropractors may recommend spinal decompression for patients with back pain caused by degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, or spinal disc herniation/prolapse (when one or more vertebral discs bulge out from between two adjacent vertebrae).
3) Heat and Cold Therapies
Heat therapy is one of the most popular ways to treat sciatica. It can be used to reduce the pain and inflammation associated with this condition. The heat can be applied using hot packs, heated towels, or a warm bath.
It is important to remember that heat can cause increased blood flow to the area, so it’s important not to apply too much heat at once. Do not exceed 20 minutes of heat application per session. You should also keep in mind that if you are pregnant or have an underlying medical condition, you should talk with your doctor before using any sort of heat therapy on your back.
Cold therapies are another popular way to treat sciatica symptoms. They work by numbing nerves and reducing swelling in the affected area. There are several different types of cold therapy options available for treating sciatica symptoms: Gel packs and ice packs are two common choices that provide relief from pain and inflammation in just minutes!
Another option is an electronic device called a TENS unit (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator), which can help relax tense muscles while providing relief from pain caused by sciatica symptoms such as numbness or tingling in your leg or foot.
4) Necessary Lifestyle Changes
Chiropractic therapy can be a great way to treat your sciatica symptoms. However, there are many other lifestyle changes that you can make in order to relieve your pain and reduce the frequency of flare-ups. For example, some patients find that regular exercise helps reduce the symptoms associated with lower back pain, while others find that changing their sleeping position may help them get a good night’s sleep without waking up in pain.
While chiropractic care alone may be enough for some people to experience relief from sciatica symptoms, many patients find that combining these exercises with chiropractic treatment provides the best results. When combined with chiropractic care, these lifestyle changes can help you manage your pain more effectively than traditional medication or other types of treatment alone.
The Bottom Line
Chiropractic care alone can be effective in managing sciatica symptoms, but it’s often most effective when combined with lifestyle changes such as exercise and sleep hygiene. If you’re experiencing back pain and sciatica, talk to your doctor for personalized treatment options that can help you manage your symptoms and get back to living your best life.
Salt Lake City Chiropractor Directions
Dr. Hedstrom began his studies at the University of Iowa and continued his studies at Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida where he was a Cum Laude graduate of the doctoral program. Learn more about Dr. Dustin Hedstrom, D.C.